Bus ‘reform’ will displace 10,000 families, rattle banking system

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) wants to use the Covid-19 hell to supposedly “reform” the land transport system in Metro Manila, which, in the absence of a functioning rail system, is the de facto mass transport provider in the National Capital Region or NCR (in the entire Luzon area for that matter). The near collapse of the Philippine National Railways and the inefficiency of the Metro Rail Transit/Light Rail Transit (MRT/LRT) systems have paved the way for the near dominance of the public utility buses (PUBs), owned and operated by private companies.

Government attempts at operating PUBs have been scandalous failures both at the metropolitan and provincial levels. Imelda Marcos’ “Love Buses” for the NCR, — remember them? — Most ended up in the yards of junk and scrap dealers.